Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 June 2018
1177. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of persons who have accessed the seniors alert scheme in counties Roscommon and Galway since 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24537/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of approved participants under the Seniors Alert Scheme since the scheme's inception in September 2015 for the counties in question are:
Galway: 2,222
Roscommon: 446
Following the launch of a new Scheme which took effect on 1 November 2017, my Department conducted a very successful nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at older people, their extended families and friends who may not have been aware of the scheme.
The key features of the new scheme include:
- a self-declaration of limited means for eligibility;
- a person no longer has to be living alone to qualify;
- free monitoring of the alarm service for the 1st year; and
- an increase in administrative payments to Community Groups involved in rolling out the scheme.
I am pleased to say that since the launch of the new scheme, the demand has been unprecedented. Spend in 2017 amounted to almost €2.7 million, compared to the €1.8m spent in 2016. During 2017, over 12,700 applications were approved and more than 10,000 installations were completed. To the end of April 2018, over 7,500 applications were approved.
